


A Crow and His Nestlings

by WriterWinged



Category: RWBY
Genre: Characters Added As They Appear - Freeform, How Do I Tag, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, Misunderstandings, Secret Identity, Slow Burn, Tags May Change, clovers not showing up for a while so, ish?, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:54:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23263555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WriterWinged/pseuds/WriterWinged
Summary: Fair Game Week 2020: Day 7: AU/Free DayQrow Branwen is of the Beacon Tribe, loves the Tribe that took him and his sister in at their lowest. They were family and now they're gone. It's just him and Ruby and Yang. Except, not really. Their little remnant of family grows and maybe there's a fisherman that is willing to help heal his heart.But things are not as they seem and there is another side to this story...Clover Ebi is the leader of the Ace Ops of Mantlas, loves the city and kingdom that he is sworn to protect. Entrusted with an important task, he seeks out the only one able to prevent Salem from completing a dark ritual. Except there's a kidnapper afoot. His search changes and he finds a pretty bird with an ever growing flock that many doubt.But some things are kept secret and there is another side to this story...
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi, Raven Branwen/Summer Rose/Taiyang Xiao Long
Comments: 1
Kudos: 35





	A Crow and His Nestlings

**Author's Note:**

> this will be only 18 chapters or so help me god.
> 
> Things to note:  
> Ozma 2.0 = Ezra Tippetarius  
> Yes, I combined Mantle and Atlas  
> Yes, Ozma & Ozma 2.0 are a couple (no idea what tag that would be) and Ozpin is their adopted kid.
> 
> this was meant to be a oneshot then i planned out the scenes and here we are, at a 18 chapter monstrosity. well thanks brain, i totally needed this. if this turns into a series im Going To Cry.
> 
> no, i Don't Know When the next update will be.

They hadn’t stopped moving, couldn’t stop moving. Qrow had taken them on a winding path, turning a three day walk into a two week trek. He had to. He didn’t know if Ozma had shared all of their safe places with- him. Gods, Qrow couldn’t believe that he’d betrayed them. After everything, almost five years and he’d just thrown it all away.

“Uncle Qrow?” The sound of his eldest niece’s voice drew him out of his spiral. He looked at Yang, Ruby curled up in her arms. Qrow could see the exhaustion in the seven-year old’s eyes, even as she played at being strong for Ruby’s sake. “Are we there yet?”

He smiled at her, glad that he could finally give her some good news, “Yeah, firecracker, we’re almost there. Just got to climb the mountain now.”

“Oh.” Yang appearently did not find that news as good as he thought it was, if the glare she gave the mountain was to say. Qrow couldn’t help but chuckle at her glare, so much like her mother’s, as he turned to the mountain as well.

There were no villages anywhere near the base, the magic that both Ozma and Ezra had worked into the mountain doing its job. The mists curled around them, the familiar touch of the Tribe heads’ magic reassuring Qrow. If he, and through him Salem, had been told about this mountain, they would have had to tear the protections to pieces to even come near it.

Qrow breathed in the safety, pushing the memories that threatened to overwhelm him back. Now was not the time for a breakdown, later, once he was sure they were safe and the girls were asleep, could he finally deal with it. “Don’t worry, the path is easy to climb. It’s just finding it that’s a pain in the a- butt.”

He was not going to be the one to teach the girls bad words, he was not having that conversation with Summer. _If she’s still alive._ He shoved that little voice down. If he had been a traitor the entire time, Salem would have already wiped out Beacon. The only reason she attacked now was because she had a plan. There was no other reason.

Yang stared at him, doubt in her eyes, “Are you sure? ‘Cause Dad says that when you say that that you mean that you forgot where it is.” Qrow spluttered, clutching his chest as his head shot back to his niece.

“What?! I do not!” He squawked, “Your dad is a dirty rotten liar who speaks lies. If anyone forgets where things are, it's him.” Yang’s stare didn’t let up as she delivered the finishing blow.

“Mom and Mama agreed with him.” Qrow’s jaw dropped even lower before he whirled around and crossed his arms. He looked back when he heard the giggles of his younger niece. Ruby had woken up at some point in their discussion and found it hilarious. He walked over and knelt in front of them, one hand reaching out to brush Ruby’s bangs out of her face, a soft smile on his face.

“Hey, rosebud. Have a nice nap?”

“Mhm. Do we have to do more walking?” she asked, a hand rubbing at her silver eyes. Qrow smiled at her, his other hand running through Yang’s hair.

“Just a bit more, then we can stop.”

“And you’ll cook?” Ruby looked so hopeful, Yang perking up as well. Qrow laughed softly, rising to his feet.

“I’ll try, rosebud. Maybe it won’t explode this time.” The girls laughed in delight, not at all worried about the possible explosion, the food their uncle made more than worth it. “Alright you two, I’m going to go find the path, don’t move from here. And no Yang, I didn’t forget where it is, it's well hidden.”

As their laughter grew louder, Qrow couldn’t help as his smile stretched across his face. Between one step and the next, he felt his form shrink and change. Feathers emerged from skin, his eyesight sharpened and his wings flapped. He rose above the treetops, the mist and illusions disappearing.

He cocked his head from side to side, searching for the signs of a hidden path. The runes glowed with an inner light now, the trace of Ozma’s magic that claimed him as family on him reacting with their own. He found each one, tracing a path to a cave that shone with runes. Satisfied, he flew back to his nieces.

He landed in a crouch, the girls turning to him. “Found it. Come on you two, it's this-” He stopped suddenly as Ruby and Yang ran towards him. His brows furrowed into a frown, the girls slowing down at the sight.

“Uncle Qrow? What’s wrong?” Yang asked, finding Ruby’s hand. Qrow sighed, restraining the urge to curse Ozma and his paranoia. It was well deserved and had saved the Tribe more times than he could count, but it could be such a pain.

“Sorry kiddos, you’re going to have to follow the bird.”

“Why?” Yang’s voice was blunt. Qrow could sympathize, his ability to help in bird form was limited.

“Ozma made the protections too good. Only way to follow the path is shapeshifted.”

“But we can’t, not yet.” Ruby’s voice was small, her grip tightening on Yang’s hand. Qrow knelt down in front of his nieces, drawing them into a hug.

“I know, that’s why I want to say several not nice things to Ozma right now. I wish that he had made those amulets right now.” The last bit was said far softer. Qrow could understand why he hadn’t, the risk was too great, but it would be a godsend right now. “But I promise, I won’t be far away and if you need my help, you just have to call, okay?”

They both nodded, but didn’t pull out of the hug. Qrow didn’t let go either, waiting on them to signal when they were ready. Ruby, surprisingly, was the one to pull back first, rubbing tears from the corner of her eyes.

“Ready?” Qrow asked softly. The two girls nodded and he stood up. Once again, he changed forms, his crow form resting on top of Ruby’s head. He bent over, looking into her eyes upside down and cawed softly.

Ruby giggled again, reaching up and bopping her uncle on the beak. Qrow cawed again and took off, wheeling around his nieces. Once more, the runes lit up, a path to safety lit under his corvid eyes. He flew to the closest, cawing every few seconds, Ruby and Yang following his cries.

Like he told Yang, the path itself wasn’t challenging. Following it, on the other hand, was. Without a member of the Tribe it would be impossible to follow. Ezra had layered so many illusions that if you looked at some, they didn’t make sense. It was so very easy to get turned around.

Several times he had to get Yang and Ruby to walk through trees and rocks and one time, help them get over a ravine (why Ezra, why). He didn’t understand why Yang had called him nuts until he turned back into a human and saw the damn thing himself. He’d just stared at it before picking up both his nieces and walking across it. Thankfully, that was the last of Ezra’s illusions, the cave being just around the bend.

“Well, at least we’ll be able to hear anyone trying to come up to us. That was… quite the drop.” Ruby nodded mutely. Yang, now away from the drop and far less afraid, wiggled to be let out of his hold. He set her down, but Ruby clung like a limpet. “Still not over that drop, rosebud?” He asked softly, shifting his grip on her.

She burrowed her face in his shoulder in response, getting a chuckle from him. Yang had already darted off to explore the cave more, although it was honestly more like a cave system. The first cave was small and had a pathway leading deeper into the mountain. Qrow followed the twisting path, not concerned with Yang getting into anything she shouldn’t. She was a smart kid and knew better than to touch anything without knowing what it did. Glynda was good at instilling those lessons in the kids.

Qrow paused at the thought of his adoptive mother. He had no idea if anyone else had made it out, if they had escaped like him and the girls. A deep breath and he pushed the thought back. He had to keep moving, had to keep going for the girls. They needed him to be strong right now. He continued down the tunnel.

The tunnel opened to a massive cavern, lit by an ethereal light. Qrow couldn’t help but snort, that was definitely Ozpin’s work. He played with the mystical look far more than his parents. Ruby looked up from his shoulder at the familiar lighting, a gasp leaving her lips.

“Uncle! It’s huge!” Yang’s voice called from a side tunnel, her yellow form darting out and slamming into his legs. Qrow barely staggered at the new limpet on his leg and began walking to the fire pit in the center of the cavern.

“How huge, firecracker?”

“The whole Tribe could fit in here! There are so many rooms and places to explore!” She exclaimed, letting go of his leg to throw her arms open.

“You sure, firecracker? The Tribe’s pretty big.” Qrow reached the firepit and set Ruby down before prying Yang from his leg and sitting down himself. Ruby was back in his lap right away and Yang bounced beside him.

“Uh huh, I counted. There are over a hundred rooms and that’s way more than the Tribe.”

“Huh, what do ya know, that is. The Oz’s really were serious about this place.” Qrow mused, trying to start a fire. The damn rocks weren’t sparking, or rather, they were, it just wasn’t taking. Yang tugged on his sleeve and pointed to a rune beside the fire pit. Qrow stared at it blankly and sighed, “You’re telling your mother about this, aren’t you?” Yang nodded, a smile on her face.

For a week, Qrow could pretend that everything was alright, that the Tribe would be there soon and they just had to wait. With each passing day, the girls asked more and more questions about when they’d be here, why weren’t they here yet, what was keeping them.

Qrow tried, he swore to the Gods, he tried to protect them from the horrible, horrible truth any way he could, but Yang was smart. She had to have gotten it from her mothers, there was no way Taiyang was that observant.

“Uncle Qrow?” her voice was soft and Qrow could see the knowledge in her eyes, “You don’t know where the rest of the Tribe is, do you?”

“I’m sorry Yang, Ruby, I’m so sorry.” He didn’t know when the tears started streaming down his face but they were there, clouding his vision. He reached out to the girls and pulled them into a hug, their own tears dripping into his clothes as the three of them cried. For the first time since the attack, Qrow grieved and so did his nieces.


End file.
